William J. Marsh

American composer, organist, choir director, and educator most notable for composing "Texas, Our Texas," the official state song (June 24, 1880 – February 1, 1971). He was a longtime figure in the Dallas–Fort Worth arts community, working as a composer, choir director, music professor, and music critic. He published over 100 original compositions, including the official mass of the Texas Centennial and The Flower Fair at Peking, the first opera written and produced in the state of Texas.